English Literature

1. ECO –Criticism
Theory

2. ❧ Presented by – Nehalba Gohil
❧ Class – M.A
❧ Semester – 3
❧ Enrollment no – 4069206420210009
❧ Paper no – 204
❧ Batch year – 2021 – 23
❧ Submitted by – Smt S.B. Gardi Department of English M.K.
Bhavnagar University
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3. Introduction
Ecocriticism is a broad way for literary and cultural scholars to
investigate the global ecological crisis through the intersection of
literature, culture, and the physical environment.Ecocriticism
expanded as a widely used literary and cultural theory by the
early 1990s with the formation of the Association for the Study of
Literature and Environment at the Western LiteraryEcocriticism
is often used as a catchall term for any aspect of the humanities
addressing ecological issues, but it primarily functions as a
literary and cultural theory.
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4. Father of Ecocriticism
❧ The term ‘ecocriticism’ was coined in 1978 by
William Rueckert in his essay “Literature and
Ecology An Experiment in Ecocriticism”.
❧ It takes an interdisciplinary point of view by
analyzing the works of authors, researchers and
poets in the context of environmental issues
and nature.
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5. What is Eco-Criticism
❧ Ecocriticism is the interdisciplinary study of the connections between
literature and the environment. It draws on contributions from
natural scientists, writers, literary critics, anthropologists and
historians in examining the differences between nature and its
cultural construction.
❧ Ecocriticism emerged in the 1960s with the start of the environmental
movement and the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in
1962, but really began to take off in the 1980s. So far, there have been
two waves of ecocriticism: the first in the 1980s and the second in the
1990s.
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6. Characteristics of Ecocriticism
❧ Ecocriticism is the study of the relationship between literature and
the physical environment. The first person to use the term appears to
have been William Rueckert in 1978. His main purpose in doing so was
to suggest that ecological terms and concepts can usefully be applied
to the study of literature. This, however, is not the dominant meaning
of the term. It tends to be interpreted more loosely as a general term
for the study of the relationship between literature and the natural
environment.
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7. Key Points
❧ In Ecocriticism Nature is the center, not the man
❧ It is the study of literature and physical
environment
❧ It is an earth-centered approach to the literary
study
❧ Ecologically man is the ultimate villain
❧ Eco criticism says that we all are equal.
❧ The main purpose is to protect the earth
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8. First and second waves
❧ The first wave emphasized writing about nature as both a field
of study and as a meaningful practice. It maintained the
distinction between human and nature, but promoted the
value of nature and the need to speak and stand up for nature.
People believed it was the duty of the humanities and the
natural sciences together to raise awareness and come up with
solutions for the environmental and climate crisis.
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9. Second wave
❧
❧ The second wave expanded upon the first, broadening the reaches of
environmentalism. Ecocritics of this wave redefined the term
environment to include both nature and urban areas and challenged
the distinctions between human and non-human and nature and
non-nature. This wave also led to the ecojustice movement by
examining the way that the poorest and most oppressed members of
a population fall victim to the most adverse effects of climate change
and environmental degradation.
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10. “
Defferent type of
Ecocriticism :-
� Pastoral
� Wilderness
� Ecofeminism
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11. Pastoral
❧ Pastoral, found primarily in British and American literature, focuses
on the dichotomy between urban and rural life, often idealizing
nature and rural life and demonizing urban life. There are three
branches of pastoral ecocriticism: classical, romantic and American
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12. Wilderness
❧ Wilderness examines the ways in which the wilderness is
constructed, valued and engaged with. There are two branches
of wilderness ecocriticism: Old World and New World.
❧ Old World portrays the wilderness as a scary, threatening place
beyond the borders of civilization and as a place of exile.
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13. Ecofeminism
❧ Ecofeminism analyzes the connection between the domination
of women and the domination of nature, usually by men. It
draws parallels between women and nature, which is often
seen as feminine, fertile and the property of men. Ecofeminism
also includes other aspects of environmental justice, such as
racial environmental justice. There are two branches of
ecofeminism
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14. Works Cites
❧ , Ecofeminism . “Climate in Arts and History .”
https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/ecocriticism/.
❧ , Ecofeminism . “Literary and critical theory .” ·
https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-
9780190221911/obo-9780190221911-0014.xml.
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15. Thank
you
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